Machine for washing fruit.



E. L. DE LONG.

MACHINE FOR WASHING FRUIT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1910.

Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w I/ A I/// I Quanta/1 E. L. DE LONG.

MACHINE FOR WASHING FRUIT.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 9, 1910.

Patented Feb. 7, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST I. DE LONG, 01'! CLEAR-WATER, FLORIDA.

MACHINE FOR WASHING FRUIT.-

Washing Fruit, of which the following is a specification.

. of invention shown,

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machinesfor wash ing and cleaning fruit, and particularly oranges or lemons, andthe object of my invention is to produce a deviceof this character whichwill quickly, rapidly and thoroughly clean the fruit and removetherefrom all dirt, smut and fungi without in any way breaking the skinor otherwise injuring the fruit, so that the fruit will have anattractive appearance and also to prevent its decay.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in certainconstructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, the preferredform of which will be. first-described in connection with theaccompanying drawin and then the invention particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

Referring same part is designated by the same reference numeral whereveris occurs, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fruit washing machineembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing however theupper sets of brushes and the water supply pipe removed and the pipesupporting brackets in section; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3, 3of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4-. is a detailedperspective view of a portion of the supply pipe and lower brushes,showing in detail the spring mechanism for mounting the upper stationarybrushes; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1.

6 is a frame or box which, in the form of invention shown, forms thebase of my machine. Rising from one end of this base are a pair ofuprights 7 which, in the form support one end of a pair of inclined sidebars 8 which, at their other end, are supported by the opposite end ofthe trough from that supported by the uprights 7. With this form ofconstruction a combined fruit washer and elevator is provided. If,however, it is not desired to elevate the fruit as they are washed, thenthe side supporting bars 8 would not be in- Specification of LettersPatent.

I, ERNEST L. DE Lone,

to the drawings wherein the rammed Feb. 7, 1911.

- Applicationfiled March 9, 1910. Serial No. 548,141.

clined but would be supported in horizontal position a. suitable heightabove the base 6.

9 is a shaft journaled in the side bars 8 adjacent one end thereof andcarrying a sprocket wheel 10 and a driving pulley 11, the sprocket wheelbeing located intermediate the side bars. Adjacent the other end of theside bars I preferably provide a pair of elongated slots 12, in which ismounted a shaft 13 carrying a sprocket wheel 14: intermediate the sidebars. For the purpose of enabling the sprocket wheel 14 to be adjustedtoward and away from the sprocket 10 and as a means for efiecting thisadjustment I have shown a block 15 inserted in the slot. One of theseblocks is inserted in each slot and by varying the width of these blocksthe distance between the sprocket wheels may be varled.

16 is a sprocket chain running around the sprocket wheels 10 and 14 andcarrying brushes 17 secured to the sprocket chain in any known ordesired manner which will enable the sprocket chain to run around thewheels. The upper run of the sprocket chains and brushes passes betweena pair of side guides 18 which extend along each side of the upper runof the chain and are supported by a series of supports 19 from the sidebars 8.

20 is a feed trough which is supported at the lower end of the side bars8 in position to feed the fruit to be washed on to the brushes at thelower end of the upper run of the belt. Preferably, and as shown, thisfeed box or trough is slightly inclined toward the belt or brushes so asto cause the fruit to be more readily picked up by the brushes.

21 is a chute carried by the upper ends of the side bars 8 in positionto receive the fruit at the end of the upper run of the chain as theyare delivered from the belt.

22 indicates a pipe which extends over the upper run of the chain andbrushes and, preferably and as shown, also extends over the deliverychute 21. Thispipe 1s provided water 1s never used twice. This pipe iswhere they pipe 22 are a series of shown as supported by a pair of bars24 which are shown as U-shaped in form and extend down on the sides ofthe side bars 8 are adjustably held in position by means of the bolts 25passing through Elongated slots26 in the lower ends of the ars.

In order to secure the pipe to the supports 2d I have shown the u perportion of the supports as being provided with a depression, and 27 is atrap secured to the support by means of the bolts 28. Carried by theairs of brushes 29 pending therefrom and each pair forming an inverted Vextending over the upper run of the brushes 17 carried by the sprocketchain 16, whereby a triangular channel is formed through which the fruitto be washed is carried. As best shown in Fig. 3, the backs. of thebrushes of each pair are separated, in order to provide an opening whichis in line with the openings 23 in the pipe 22 and,.through which thewater may pass on to the fruit.

Preferably, and as shown, the upper set of brushes are yieldinglymounted to prevent injury to the fruit while being washed, and at thesame time to thoroughly wash fruit of varying size. As a means for soyieldingly mounting the brushes I have shown the pipe as being providedwith a series of collars 30 which are provided on diametrically oppositesides w1th projecting bolts or heads 31, and on their upper portion witha screw 32 which passes through the collar, engages the pipe and solocks each collar in position.

As a means of yieldingly mounting the pairs of brushes 29 I secure toeach pair of brushes, by means of staples 33, an endless spring wirewhich, between the brushes, is bent upwardly to form a yoke 34 extendingover the pipe between the brushes. From the fastening means this wireextends in a pair of arms 35, and at the rear end of each of these armsa coil 36 is formed which extends around the lugs 31, and between thesecoils a yoke 37 is formed which is in front of the .set screw 32 of thecollar 30.

As best shown in Fig. 1, it will be seen that each of the yokes 34extends between the arms 35 of the supporting pair of brushes, so thateach pair of brushes is spring pressed toward the traveling brushes 17and each pair can yield independently of all the others. This is true ofall the sets of brushes except those nearest the 'feed trough 20, inwhich case the arms 35 are bent so as to cross the yoke 34, and thecollar 30 is ahead of this yoke, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. I

From the foregoing description of the preferred form of my constructionit will be seen that as the fruit to be washed is thrown onto the feedtrough 20 it will be caught by the upper run of the traveling osaeeibrushes 17, which 'will cause it to pass between the successive pairs ofbrushes 29 which are in the form of an inverted V. The fruit will thusbe brushed on three sides and will be constantly rotated by the onwardmovement of the brushes 17. From the.

t me it is engaged by the moving brushes it will be moreover subjectedto a constant along through the machine it will be subr jected to thisbrushing action and to a fresh supply of water, and the same water isnot used twice. 7 After the fruit has passed the brushes it passes on tothe delivery hopper 21, where it is still subjected to the action of thewater by reason of the extension of the pipe 22 over such deliverytrough or hopper. The fruit will consequently be thoroughly cleaned inthe operation and be delivered free from all dirt, smut, fungi or otherforeign matter. Because the upper brushes are yieldingly the cleaningoperation will be effected without injury to the skin of the fruit andat the same time fruit varying in size will all be subjected to athorough cleaning action during its passage through themachine.

In the form of invention shown the washing machine will also operate asan elevator and may be used to carry the fruit from one floor to anotherof the building in which the packing operation progresses. It is to beof course understood that where it is not desired to have the machineact as an elevator, it may be arranged horizontally without interferingwith its efiiciency as a washing machine.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for washing fruit, the combination of an endless chainof traveling brushes, a perforated water pipe extending above it andlongitudinally thereof, and a series of brushes mounted upon said pipefor cooperation with the traveling brushes.

2. In a machine for washing fruit, the combination of an endless chainof traveling brushes, a perforated water pipe extending above it andlongitudinally thereof, and a series of brushes spring mounted in pairsupon said pipe for cooperation with the traveling brushes.

3. In a machine for washing fruit, the combination of an endless chainof traveling brushes, a perforated water pipe extending above it andlongitudinally thereof, and a series of brushes arranged in the form ofan inverted V mounted upon said pipe for cooperation with the travelingbrushes.

4. In a machine for washing fruit, the combination of an endless chainof traveling brushes, a perforated water pipe extending above it andlongitudinally thereof, a series of collars adjustablymounted upon saidpipe and provided with lateral projections springs mounted on saidcollars b means 0 said projections, and brushes earned by said springsfor cooperation with-the traveling brushes.

5. In a machine for washing fruit, the combination of an endless chainof traveling brushes, a perforated water pipe extending above it andlongitudinally thereof, mounts for said pipe adjustably attached to theframe of the machine, two sets of brushes springmounted upon said pipeand arranged in,

rows at either side thereof and at an angle to one another whereby atriangular chan nel for the fruit is formed longitudinally of the threesets ofbrushes.

6. In a machine for washing fruit, the

combination with an endless brush-car g chain, of awater supplying pipelocated a ove the upper run of said chain, said pipe being provided witha pluralityof opemngs in its under side to supply water onto the brushesof the chain, and a series of brushes yieldingly mounted'on said pipe,said senes of brushes being arranged in pairs, each pair forminganinverted V with the pipe above the apex of the V.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST L. DE LONG. Witnesses GEO. W. CHURCH, SEWARD F. Gannon.

